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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/22747531">Taming the Giant</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/Th3spian/pseuds/Th3spian'>Th3spian</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Lucky Star (Anime &amp; Manga)</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Angst with a Happy Ending, Autism Spectrum, Awkward Romance, Bullying, Concerts, F/M, First Kiss, First Love, Gentleness, Matchmaking, Minor Injuries, Musical References, Musicians, Protective Siblings, Shyness</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-02-16</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-09-17</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-04-28 09:47:19</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Teen And Up Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>10</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>11,566</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/22747531</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/Th3spian/pseuds/Th3spian</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>Konata's attempt at playing cupid causes Tsukasa to meet a quiet, awkward musician who towers over her. Through kindness and determination, Tsukasa discovers what's hiding behind his cold exterior.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Hiiragi Kagami &amp; Hiiragi Tsukasa, Hiiragi Tsukasa/Original Male Character</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>5</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>13</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>1. Meet Cute</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Tsukasa, Konata, Kagami, and Miyuki met in front of the music hall after school. Konata had said that she had a “special project” on her mind, but wouldn’t give any details about what she meant. Standing next to the doors, she leaned back against the wall and folded her arms.</p>
<p>“So, I’ve been thinking,” she began. “I spend all of this time playing dating games, trying to find every last bit of content of them, but I’ve never really been able to apply any of it to the real world. It’s all just been a fantasy and nothing else. I want to see if I can change that.” She paused for a moment to let it sink in.</p>
<p>“So what, you’re going to try and get yourself a boyfriend?” Kagami asked.</p>
<p>“Not exactly. I think what I’d like to do instead is be a matchmaker. I’ve got a boy and a girl picked out, and I want to see if I can help them get together.” She reached into her bag and pulled out a manila folder. “I’ve put together a little dossier on a boy in Patty’s homeroom class.” She took a photo out of the folder and showed it to the others.</p>
<p>“Oh, he looks kinda cute,” Tsukasa said. The photo was of a stoic-looking boy with dark red hair, blue eyes, and broad shoulders.</p>
<p>“His name is Masaru Nomura,” Konata explained. “He’s a first-year student, but he’s already the top double bassist in the school’s orchestra. Apparently he doesn’t speak to anyone unless they speak to him first, and it’s rare for him to even crack a smile. Cold. As. Ice. Tsukasa, I want you to be our MC.”</p>
<p>The other girls just gave Konata blank stares. A few moments of awkward silence passed before anyone spoke up.</p>
<p>“Wait, so I’m the one you want to pair up with this guy?” Tsukasa asked.</p>
<p>“Yep. You’ve never had a boyfriend before, right? That means you’ll be the perfect—”</p>
<p>“Hold it right there,” Kagami interrupted with a sigh. “You haven’t even asked her whether she wants to go through with this. She’s not your puppet, you know.”</p>
<p>“Actually, this sounds like fun,” Tsukasa said, stepping forward. “I’ll do it.”</p>
<p>Konata beamed with excitement. “Alright, the orchestra should be getting out any minute now. Our first order of business is to make sure the two of you have a cute way of meeting for the first time. Tsukasa, give me your cell phone.”</p>
<p>Despite her skepticism, Tsukasa handed it over. As she did so, she could hear the progressively louder sound of students inside the music hall heading for the door. She knew she was moments away from seeing Masaru with her own eyes.</p>
<p>Konata, obviously able to hear it as well, turned towards the doors, phone in hand. “Alright, so here’s the plan. Just before Nomura-san walks out the door, I’ll throw your phone into his line of sight. He’ll pick it up, ask who it belongs to, and then you’ll be able to make your move. Plus, since your phone will be right there, you’ll have the perfect opportunity to give him your number.”</p>
<p>The four girls peeked inside, anticipating the arrival of their target. Wave after wave of musicians, carrying instruments of all shapes and sizes, walked out. Tsukasa scanned each of them closely, looking for someone who matched the photo from earlier, but to no avail. She felt a mixture of dread and excitement as she did so. The longer they waited, the more the tension grew.</p>
<p>Finally, after most of the orchestra had exited, a tall boy with red hair came around the corner towards the doors. He was pulling a massive instrument case behind him, an obvious indicator of his status as a member of the double bass section. It had to be him. Before Tsukasa could say anything, Konata grabbed her shoulder and pulled her away. They had both obviously seen him. Kagami and Miyuki backed up as well.</p>
<p>Konata looked down at the phone in her hand one more time, then back at the doors. She crouched down, brought her arm back, and slid the phone across the floor like a bowling ball.</p>
<p>Everyone held their breath as the red-haired boy got closer to the phone. Tsukasa could feel the sweat dripping from her brow as she waited for his reaction. Each step he took felt like the stomp of an elephant. His pace slowed when the phone was right next to him, but rather than picking it up, he continued on his way.</p>
<p>Before she even had time to think about what she was doing, Tsukasa broke off into a sprint. All she knew was that there was some indescribable force compelling her to not lose this connection. Just as she was about to reach her phone, another student accidentally kicked it farther away from her. She tried to pick up the pace, but an awkward step sent her crashing to the floor in front of her phone, just a few feet away from the boy.</p>
<p>“Hey, a-are you alright?”</p>
<p>Tsukasa looked up to see the red-haired boy staring back at her. She scooped up her phone and stood up, trying to contain her embarrassment. “Yeah, I’ll be fine,” she muttered. Now that they were in front of one another, she could see just how tall he was. He had to be at least six feet, maybe more.</p>
<p>“I wasn’t sure whose phone that was, and I figured whoever dropped it would come back for it, so I just left it there. Sorry about that.”</p>
<p>“Well, now I have it back, so I guess all’s well that ends well,” Tsukasa said. “My name’s Tsukasa Hiiragi, by the way. I’m a third-year.”</p>
<p>“Masaru Nomura. First-year. Nice to meet you.” His words came out much more quickly than before, as if he had rehearsed this exact phrase.</p>
<p>Tsukasa stood in front of Masaru for a few more moments. She waited for him to say something, but he remained silent as well. She also noticed that his eyes were constantly moving around, as if he was trying to avoid making eye contact. Was he anxious? Afraid? Repulsed? Tsukasa had no idea.</p>
<p>Masaru looked back at the instrument case behind him. “Well, I guess I’d better get going. Later.”</p>
<p>As he walked away, the other girls came up behind Tsukasa.</p>
<p>“Success!” Konata exclaimed. “It might not have played out exactly as I planned, but we still got a meet cute out of it. Now we can get started on his route.”</p>
<p>“He seemed pleasant enough,” Miyuki added. “Did you get his number? I was too far away to tell.”</p>
<p>Tsukasa’s heart sank. She was so flustered from her fall that she hadn’t thought to ask him for it. She turned around to look for him, but he was already long gone. On the bright side, at least this gave her an excuse to talk to him again.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0002"><h2>2. Second Impression</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <span>The next morning, Konata dragged Tsukasa back to the music hall. Rather than wait by the door, they went straight in like they owned the place, determined to find Masaru again. Konata had explained on the way there that he would likely be practicing with the other orchestra members. As long as they did their best to blend in, no one would suspect a thing. At least, that’s what she claimed.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Tsukasa did her best to fake confidence as she walked, fighting through her anxiety at being surrounded by unfamiliar sights and sounds. She quickly noticed that although most of the musicians were practicing out in the open, some of them were using the tiny practice rooms off to the side. Each of them had a large window which made it easy to see who was inside. Judging by what Konata had told her about Masaru’s personality, she inferred that he would likely be using one of these rooms in order to get some privacy.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>The two of them began walking along the perimeter. Tsukasa’s heart was now racing with a familiar feeling of apprehension. If her cover wasn’t blown already, it certainly was now. With each door she peered into, she became progressively more worried that someone would confront her and tell her to leave, but she couldn’t. She wasn’t even sure why at that point, but she needed to see Masaru again.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Just when they thought they wouldn’t find him, there he was, eyes trained on the music stand in front of him. The long fingerboard of his double bass made his hands look small by comparison. In his right hand was the bow, which he held in a sideways grip as it moved gracefully across the strings. Though the sound coming from the room was muffled, she could faintly hear what he was playing.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Masaru appeared to sigh after reaching the end of the piece. He returned the instrument to its case, tucked away the bow, and turned to open the door. When he realized that Tsukasa was staring right at him, his hand jerked away from the doorknob, as if it were red hot.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Tsukasa, not quite sure what to do, smiled and waved at him. "That sounded great," she said.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Masaru opened the door and stepped out to greet her. "Thanks," he muttered. "You're that girl from yesterday, right?"</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Yeah, I just wanted to drop by and say hello." Out of the corner of her eye, she could see Konata holding up her phone and gesturing at it. "Uh, I mean I forgot to ask you for your number."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Masaru gave her a confused look. "My number? Why would you want that?"</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Tsukasa paused for a moment as she thought of what to say. "I just...thought it would be nice to get to know you better. But of course, if you're not interested, I could just leave you alone and–"</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"No, it's okay." Masaru reached into his pocket and pulled out his phone. It was an unassuming flip phone not unlike what Tsukasa had. One thing that did catch her eye was the charm in the shape of a puzzle piece hanging from it. “Here, you can put your number in my phone, and I’ll put mine in yours.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>The two hastily exchanged numbers. Tsukasa was relieved that things were going so well, but it looked like Masaru still had something on his mind.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Here you go,” she said as she handed his phone back to him. “Is something wrong?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I was just wondering what I should call you. I don’t talk to upperclassmen very often. I guess I would call you Senpai, right?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Tsukasa’s eyes widened. She had never heard anyone call her that before. “No, that’s not necessary. You can just call me Hiiragi-san.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Masaru nodded and put his bass on his shoulders. “I need to go put this away so I can get to class. I’ll see you around, Hiiragi-san.” Without saying anything else, he quickly made his exit.</span>
</p><hr/><p>
  <span>By lunchtime, the charm on Masaru’s phone still stuck out in Tsukasa’s mind. Of all the things he could use to express his individuality, why a puzzle piece? There had to be some sort of symbolism that was going over her head. After her friends had gathered around her with their food, she decided to bring it up with them.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I got his number, but there was something I noticed when he took out his phone,” she said between bites. “He had a puzzle piece hanging from it. Any idea what that could mean?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Konata and Kagami shook their heads.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Miyuki put her hand on her chin and thought about it for a moment. “It’s a bit of a long shot, but I have an idea. He might be autistic.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Everyone looked at Miyuki like she was speaking a foreign language.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Let me explain,” she continued. “Autism is a developmental disability that makes things like social skills and self-regulation more difficult. It shows up differently in everyone who has it, and some people are higher-functioning than others. The puzzle piece has been used by autism advocacy groups since the 1960s, so that could be why Nomura-san has it on his phone.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Seems legit,“ Konata said. “It might explain some of the social awkwardness that was mentioned in the dossier.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Makes sense to me,” Kagami added, ”but could you not call it a dossier? You sound like a secret agent or something.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Tsukasa giggled. “So, what’s our next move, Kona-chan? I’m starting to like this.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“To put it simply, we keep pushing,” Konata said. “He was willing to give you his number, so it’s likely that he’s at least a little interested in you. That’s a start. Now you have to make it clear that you’re interested in him. We know that he’s shy and plays music, but other than that, we know next to nothing about him. The more you can learn, the more likely you are to find something the two of you have in common.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Okay, so all I have to do is call him tonight?” Tsukasa asked.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Sure. Want me to come over today after school? I can help you out while you’re on the phone.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Alright, let’s do it.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>It wasn’t until right after Tsukasa said the words that apprehension set in. It was like getting on a roller coaster before you’ve fully processed whether you even want to ride it. She had agreed to this new stage of the plan on impulse, and now the gears were turning in her head. She was sure she was going to be thinking of what she was going to say to Masaru for the rest of the afternoon.</span>
</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0003"><h2>3. Useless Flowchart</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <span>As soon as the girls walked through the front door of the Hiiragi residence, Konata bolted over to Tsukasa’s bedroom. Tsukasa and Kagami followed behind, wondering why she was so excited to get started. When they had all made it into the room, Konata sat down, took out her notebook, and turned to a page that was full of scribbles.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“This sure seems like a lot of preparation just for a phone call,” Tsukasa thought aloud. She spent so much time talking to her friends on the phone that it felt natural to her. None of those friends were boys, obviously, but it couldn’t be that much harder, could it?</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“It is,” Konata replied, “but this is a make-or-break moment. The last thing you want is to be put on the spot and say something you’ll regret. After all, you can’t save your progress before making a decision here.” She gestured for her friend to sit down next to her.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Tsukasa took a seat and reviewed what was on the page. It was a flowchart of a conversation, showing a range of potential topics for her and Masaru to talk about. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I want to lay out what you’re going to say on this call,” Konata said as she pointed to the top of the page. “You start here, and what he says determines which path you take. Simple, right?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Tsukasa still wasn’t sure why she needed to put this much effort into preparing, but nevertheless she appreciated the help. She pulled out her phone and looked at the scuffs from the day before. She had already gone this far, and she still hadn’t found a reason to stop. After scanning through the sheet one more time, she dialed Masaru’s phone number and turned on the speaker.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>First ring. No answer.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Second ring. No answer.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Third ring. Still no answer. Now Tsukasa was getting nervous.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>The fourth ring was cut off halfway through. Was he about to pick up? Everyone crossed their fingers.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Hi, this is Masaru Nomura. Leave a message after the tone and I'll get back to you as soon as I can."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Konata's face turned pale as she listened to the message. The flowchart she had prepared for them depended on him actually answering the phone, not letting it go to voicemail.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Tsukasa started panicking as well. "What do I do? Do I hang up and call back later?" She lightly placed her finger on the button to hang up, stopping just short of actually pressing it.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Just as Konata looked like she was about to say something, they all heard the beep. It was now or never.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Tsukasa made a snap decision to leave a message, ignoring the flowchart. After a moment’s hesitation, she began to speak. "Hi, Nomura-san. It's me again. Um, I just wanted to say that I really liked getting to hear you play a little today. I mean, I couldn’t hear all that well since I was on the other side of the door, but I could tell that you're very talented. If you're okay with it, I think I'd like to spend more time with you. If you'd rather keep your distance, though, that's fine too. I don't want to overwhelm you or anything. Anyway, I'll talk to you later. Bye!" She pressed the button to hang up and then took a deep breath to calm herself.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Everyone stared at each other, waiting for someone to speak up. "Well, that wasn't so bad," Tsukasa said to no one in particular.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"I guess not," Konata added. "I was going to suggest hanging up, but I think what you said made sense. Not much else to do now except wait for a response."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“It’s kind of ironic,” Kagami said. “You put all that work into making a flowchart for her, and she didn’t even need it. I guess sometimes it’s easier to just wing it.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“It might come in handy later,” Konata countered. She tore out the page and handed it to Tsukasa. "Here, you might as well hold onto this. I don't need it anymore."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Tsukasa nodded and put it on her desk. She wasn't sure whether she would even use it, but she figured it might be nice to have. "So, once I hear back from him, would the next step be for us to meet outside of school?"</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Yeah, exactly. Triggering a conversation flag in multiple locations is a pretty reliable way to move forward in a route. Anyway, do you want to go over the answers to the homework?"</span>
</p><p>
  <span>After Konata went home for the evening, Tsukasa took another look at her phone. Masaru still hadn't called her back. The things she said in her voicemail replayed over and over in her head. Despite no evidence that she had, she couldn’t help but wonder if she creeped him out by being so jovial. After all, they had known each other for less than forty-eight hours. The only remedy was to go straight to bed after dinner.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>The next morning, as she was getting ready for school, Tsukasa noticed that she had a new text message. Her heart almost skipped a beat when she noticed that it was from Masaru. She immediately stopped what she was doing to read it. The message had been sent around 11:00 PM, and was written with perfect grammar (i.e. he didn’t use any text-speak).</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Sorry I missed your call. The school wants me to play in this recital on Saturday, so I’ve been practicing a lot. I’d love to see you there.”</span>
</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0004"><h2>4. Serenade</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <span>Before Tsukasa knew it, the night of the recital had come. It was being held at the performing arts center of another school in town, and Masaru was only one of about a dozen students who would be performing solo pieces. Konata, Kagami, and Miyuki came as well so they could all cheer him on together.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Judging by the program they were given as they walked in, Masaru was scheduled to go last. One after another, each performer was introduced by the announcer. They were accompanied by a grand piano located in the corner of the stage. Occasionally, Miyuki would make a comment if she happened to recognize a piece that had just been played. This went on for a little over an hour until the big moment finally came.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Our final performer for the night is Masaru Nomura, a first-year student. He will be playing the first movement of Dragonetti's double bass concerto in A major."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>As the announcer’s words echoed through the auditorium, Masaru walked onstage, bass in hand. Much like the other performers, he was wearing a white tuxedo shirt and black slacks. Tsukasa waved at him to try and get his attention. He timidly put a hand up and flashed her a little half-smile before gesturing to the pianist that he was ready.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>From the moment Masaru's bow first touched the strings, Tsukasa and her friends were spellbound. Despite the imposing size of the instrument, the melodies he could produce with it were just as impressive as the violins and cellos they had been hearing throughout the night. His left hand deftly moved from one end of the fingerboard to the other, while his right hand controlled the bow with surgical precision.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>When the piece reached its conclusion, the audience erupted into applause. Masaru gave them a polite bow before hurrying off the stage and behind the curtain.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Konata turned to Tsukasa. “Alright, let’s get out of here,” she whispered. “We need to go find him. Now.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>The two stood up, shuffled past the other audience members, and ran into the lobby. Some of the performers from earlier in the night were already there, talking to friends and family. Before long, Masaru stepped out as well, eyes focused on the ground.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Tsukasa didn’t need to be told what to do at this point. “Nomura-san!” she called out as she moved towards him. “You did so well!”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Masaru sighed and looked up at her. “Hey,” he murmured. By this point she could see that he was upset about something.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“It’s great to see you again. My friends and I were blown away.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>His facial expression didn’t change. “Can we go sit down somewhere? I could use someone to talk to.” He looked over at a bench on the other side of the lobby where no one was sitting.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Tsukasa looked back at Konata, who gave her a thumbs-up. She followed Masaru over to the bench and sat down. “So what’s wrong?” she asked. “I figured you’d be a lot happier.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I just think I could have done a lot better. My playing was sloppy during the fast parts, and some of the notes didn’t come out as clearly as I would have liked."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Oh, really? It sounded fine to me."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Yeah, well that's because you didn't know what it's supposed to sound like."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Tsukasa paused for a moment, trying to think of a response. Though she hadn’t known him for very long, it pained her to see Masaru so distraught.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I just…” Masaru stumbled over his words. “I just wanted to impress you. And I think you deserved a better performance than what you got.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Tsukasa extended a hand and rested it on top of Masaru’s head. She gently moved it back and forth in an attempt to soothe him, as if she were petting a dog. It wasn’t like her to show this much affection to someone, but it just seemed like he needed it. "Listen to me," she said softly. "Even if you think you could have done better, you still impressed me. There's a reason why we were all applauding when you finished. I wish you wouldn't beat yourself up like this."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Masaru blushed. “Tsukasa, we’re in public. You shouldn’t be doing that.” His eyes widened when he realized what just came out of his mouth. “Sorry, I meant to say Hiiragi-san. I don’t know why I called you by your first name.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Tsukasa laughed as she brought her hand back down. “Oh, it’s not a big deal. And I won’t pat your head if you don’t want me to.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Well, it's not like I hate it. I just don't want to draw too much attention to us." He averted his gaze and crossed his arms in front of him. "I don't normally get touched like that, so I wasn't sure how to react."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Do you at least feel better?” Tsukasa asked.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Masaru smiled and nodded. “Yeah. Much better. Thanks for cheering me up. Also, if you're okay with me calling you by your first name, you can call me by mine.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Tsukasa was relieved. In fact, other than the half-smile from earlier in the night, it was the first time she had seen him looking genuinely happy. She wondered if he even realized how cute he could be.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Masaru pulled his phone out and flipped it open. "Looks like my ride is here. Thanks again for coming...Tsukasa-san."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>With that, it was time for them to part ways again. Tsukasa walked back to her friends, eager to tell them how it went.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Judging by your smile, it looks like things went well,” Konata said, looking like she was feeling some secondhand pride.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Tsukasa nodded. “I was a little surprised. He actually seemed disappointed by how he did, but I did what I could to make him feel better. I think we’re really starting to hit it off.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“If nothing else,” Kagami added, “you’re getting out and meeting someone new. That’s huge. Even if you two don’t end up dating, at least you might still be able to be friends.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>As she returned home, Tsukasa thought about everything that had happened over the last few days. Even though it was Konata who started all of this, Tsukasa could have stopped it at any time, but she didn’t. She was, after all, the one actively pursuing Masaru. She was the one talking to him, comforting him after his performance, and giving him a chance to open up about his insecurities. Though she was too shy to admit it at the time, that night was likely the moment when she fell in love.</span>
</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0005"><h2>5. Andante</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <span>Tsukasa checked her phone for what felt like the fiftieth time that day. It had been three days since the recital and Masaru still hadn’t called or texted her. She had sent him a short message every day to see what he was up to, but still, nothing. Now she was losing her ability to stay focused in class, constantly wondering if their relationship was going to fizzle out just as things were starting to get interesting.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>When the school day was finally over, she started slowly making her way down the hall, still clutching her phone in futility. Konata and Kagami offered to look over the messages Tsukasa had sent, but even they couldn’t think of anything she might have said wrong. Though she wasn’t typically one to get angry, she was getting pretty close. </span>
  <em>
    <span>How could he play with my emotions like this?</span>
  </em>
  <span> she thought, making a fist with her empty hand.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>As the three of them rounded the corner after leaving campus, Tsukasa’s phone vibrated. It was a text message from Masaru, asking if she wanted to walk home with him. For some reason, all of the frustration she had felt a moment ago faded away. Without saying anything to the others, she turned around and ran back to the gate.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Masaru was pacing back and forth in the courtyard, all the while continuing to pull his instrument case behind him. She thought he didn’t see her, so she called out to him, but he didn’t react. As she approached, she noticed that he had earbuds in, which would explain why he didn’t hear her. It wasn’t until they were two feet apart that he broke out of his apparent trance.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Oops, sorry,” he muttered, taking off his earbuds. “Shall we go?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Tsukasa smiled. Regardless of what might have happened over the last few days, he was right there, and that was all that mattered. She just couldn’t seem to stay mad at him. When they caught back up to her friends, she waved at them, and they continued on without her. They must have figured she would want to be alone with Masaru, and they weren’t wrong.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“It’s so nice to talk to you again,” she said. “I was starting to think you were—”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>The sound of a ringtone cut her off. Masaru pulled his phone out of his pocket and answered it. “Hello? Nomura speaking. Yeah, I got the songs down. I’ll see you at practice tonight.” The same charm as before hung in front of Tsukasa’s eyes, swinging back and forth like a pendulum as they walked.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Was that someone from the orchestra?” Tsukasa asked after Masaru hung up.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“No, it’s the lead singer for this metal band I just joined,” he replied. “My first show with them is on Thursday night, so I’ve been practicing like crazy. I know you just went to that recital last week, but it’s our album release party and we’re really hoping for a good turnout, so…”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Tsukasa could tell where he was going with this. “Let me think about it,” she answered. She didn’t normally enjoy metal, but if it was Masaru’s band, she was willing to make an exception. They approached a crosswalk and waited for the light to change. “By the way, is it okay if I ask a personal question?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Masaru nodded.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I was talking to my friend last week about that puzzle piece you have on your phone, and she thought you might be autistic. Is that true?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“It is. Well, my mom says I have something called Asperger syndrome. I don’t really get what it means, though. All I know is that I have trouble relating to other people.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Then why is it you can talk to me so easily? Am I just special?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Masaru blushed a little. “Yeah, you could say that.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Tsukasa wasn’t sure how to react. She had meant it as a joke, but judging by his facial expression, he had taken it literally.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Something about you is just different,” he continued. “I normally keep to myself, but here you are, going out of your way to be nice to me. Talking to you feels safe, like I don’t have to worry about you judging me for saying something weird. If I didn’t know better, I’d say someone put you up to this.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Needless to say, Tsukasa couldn’t bring herself to admit that someone else was trying to bring them together, but she also didn’t want to lie to him. “I’m here because I want to be here,” she said, trying to choose her words carefully. “To be honest, I’m usually not very outgoing either, but I guess you’re pretty special yourself.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>The light turned green, and the two walked across in awkward silence. Masaru, perhaps due to his longer legs, had a much faster walking speed than Tsukasa's. He made it across the street well ahead of her and continued down the sidewalk. Tsukasa caught up and, without thinking, reached for his free hand. She felt her hand on his for only a fraction of a second before he pulled away, looking distressed.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>An instant regret fell over Tsukasa as she wondered whether she had blown it. “I’m sorry, I was just trying to get your attention and I—”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“No, it’s fine.” Masaru let his hand fall back down to his side. “It’s just a sensory sensitivity thing. I should have mentioned that earlier.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Oh, good,” Tsukasa sighed. “I thought I shocked you or something. So do you just not like to be touched?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“It’s more like I don’t like to be touched </span>
  <em>
    <span>unexpectedly</span>
  </em>
  <span>,” Masaru clarified. “It kinda freaks me out. I’m the same way with loud noises.” He looked down at their hands, narrowly avoiding contact. “But, you know, if you wanted to try again…”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Tsukasa extended her hand once more, palm facing up, inviting him to take it. He slowly put his own hand on top of hers and let their fingers interlock. She could hardly believe how bold she was being. She had only known this boy for about a week, and they were already holding hands in public. Her mind immediately started racing with thoughts of what would happen if someone she knew saw them like this, and it made her loosen her grip. “Can we slow down a little?” she asked.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Masaru started walking more slowly.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“No, I meant like...it’s kind of soon for us to be doing this. I got caught up in the moment and now this is making me nervous.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>He slipped his hand out, but instead of letting go entirely, he gently held onto her index finger. “Is this better?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Tsukasa thought about it for a moment. “It’s not quite what I had in mind, but I guess it’s okay.” It felt just intimate enough to be special, yet not enough to be improper. She also thought it was less conspicuous than holding her entire hand. They stayed like this for the rest of the way to the train station.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>When they finally arrived, they tried to delay separating their hands for as long as they could, but since they would be boarding different trains, it had to happen eventually. Masaru released Tsukasa’s finger and put his hand in his pocket. “So, about that show…”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Yes.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>His face lit up. “Cool! I’ll text you all the details. I’m sure it’ll be fun.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Tsukasa grinned after boarding the train. She wouldn't be washing that finger for a while.</span>
</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0006"><h2>6. Breakdown</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <span>Miyuki declined the invitation, but Konata and Kagami were willing to go with Tsukasa to the small club where Masaru’s band was playing. They arrived about five minutes before the doors were supposed to open, so they joined the line that was forming around the building. The other people in line were mostly male, and looked to be around their age or a little older.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Admission at the door was 500 yen per person. As they entered, each of the girls was stamped with an X on their right hand, indicating that they were too young to drink alcohol. The walls were covered with tour posters from bands who had previously performed there, though none of them were familiar to Tsukasa. A merch table was off to the side, across from the bar.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Though the band wouldn’t be starting for another twenty minutes, fans were already gathering near the stage, which was on a wooden platform in the corner. Wandering off from her group, Tsukasa looked around until she found a roughly circular gap in the crowd where few people were standing. Being surrounded by so many unfamiliar people was a little unnerving, but she was grateful to have such a good view of the action.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Meanwhile, she couldn’t help but overhear a conversation between two young men standing next to her:</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“To be honest, I’m kind of surprised they’re even continuing without Daisuke. He was the reason I got into this band in the first place.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Well, who’s the new guy?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Some kid from Kasukabe. I think his name is Masaru.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Is he any good?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I wouldn’t put money on it."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Tsukasa thought about speaking up to defend Masaru, but she didn’t want to start a fight, so she held her tongue.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Every so often, a member of the band would come up on stage to check their instrument, usually accompanied by a few cheers from the audience. When Masaru came up, though, he got no such reaction. As expected, his double bass had been replaced with a red and black bass guitar, its colors matching that of his hair and clothes. A microphone stand was directly in front of him, which Tsukasa found surprising, since he had never mentioned being able to sing. At this point she could hardly contain her excitement.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>The lights dimmed and ambient music started playing, indicating that the show was about to begin. As members of the band came back on stage one by one, the roar of the crowd became progressively louder. Finally, the lead singer stood in the center and raised a fist into the air as the drummer counted in the first song.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Almost immediately, Tsukasa winced from the overpowering volume of the band. Every note from Masaru’s bass made her chest rattle. Only when she turned around to look for an escape route did she realize her mistake. When she was looking for a place to stand, she had walked right into the mosh pit, and now the crowd was packed so tightly that she had no choice but to stay in.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Tsukasa ran around the edges of the pit to look for Konata and Kagami, but she kept getting pushed back, like bumpers on a pinball table. As the song moved into a breakdown, several people in the pit frantically swung their arms and legs around, creating a new hazard for her to avoid. As if that wasn’t enough, the body heat from the people around her made it exhausting just to stand still. This went on for a few more minutes until the first song came to a merciful end.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>The break was short-lived. “Open this shit up!” the lead singer shouted at the crowd. “I wanna see a circle pit on this one!” As the drummer started playing a fast beat, people ran around the edge of the pit, pushing and shoving anyone in front of them. Even Tsukasa had to keep moving as fast as she could in order to not get run over.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>When another breakdown hit, Tsukasa tried slowing down so she could look back at the stage. Masaru had stepped up to the mic, but what came out of the speakers didn’t sound like any singing she had ever heard. It was low, guttural, and intense, filling her with dread. She couldn’t believe this was the same boy who had so gently held her finger just two days earlier.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>She considered making another attempt to get out, but just as she turned around, someone ran straight into her, hitting her in the face with his elbow. She was now trapped in a group of fans near the front of the stage, her arms pinned at her sides. Even if she passed out from the heat, there wasn’t enough space for her to fall down. The stress eventually became too much for her to handle, and she cried out, begging for someone to help her. Masaru, who was standing right in front of her, didn’t react at all.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“TSUKASA! TAKE MY HAND!”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Tsukasa looked to her right and saw Kagami, straining to reach through the crowd. She pulled her arm free and extended it just enough that she could grab her sister’s hand. Konata held onto Kagami from the other side as they pulled Tsukasa to safety. Unsure of what else to do, she buried her face into Kagami’s chest and sobbed. It was only then that she noticed blood dripping from her nose.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>The girls made their way over to the other side of the room and found a place where they could all sit on the floor. Now that there was some distance between themselves and the band, the volume had dropped to a point where they could actually talk to each other, though it was still a little difficult for Tsukasa to hear them over the ringing in her ears.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“You’ll be okay,” Kagami said as she held a tissue over Tsukasa’s nose. “I think you’re just overwhelmed. Let’s rest here for now.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Konata explained that she and Kagami had been watching the show from the bar, but they didn’t realize that Tsukasa was in the pit until they saw her get stuck at the front. They stayed together until Tsukasa’s nosebleed dried up, which thankfully didn’t take too long. Konata eventually got up to enjoy the rest of the show, while the twins stayed behind.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Are you sure you don’t want to leave now?” Kagami asked.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Tsukasa nodded. Although she got a lot more than she bargained for that night, she was determined to stay for Masaru’s sake. As she rested her head on her sister’s shoulder, her eyes kept their gaze on the band. She wouldn’t say that she </span>
  <em>
    <span>liked</span>
  </em>
  <span> their music per se, but she tried to understand and appreciate it. Of course, it also didn’t hurt that their bassist was so handsome.</span>
</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0007"><h2>7. Hesitation</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <span>Tsukasa and Kagami got back to the house around 10:00 at night. Taking care not to wake the rest of the family, they took their shoes off and walked over to Tsukasa’s bedroom, where Kagami had asked to talk on the way home.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“After tonight,” Kagami began, “I just want to make sure this matchmaking thing is really what you want. I’ve been keeping my mouth shut about it until now because I saw that it was making you happy, but now it’s gotten you hurt.” She sat down in the chair by the desk and crossed her legs.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Tsukasa didn’t need any time to think. “Of course I want to keep going,” she replied. “Even if Kona-chan wasn’t part of this, I still like spending time with Nomura-san. Didn’t you say you were glad I was meeting someone new?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Sure, but that was before I knew he was into...this sort of thing. It seemed to me like he just wanted more people to come to his show, even if it meant putting you in danger. How long were you in the pit?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Since before the show started.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Right. He had to have seen you there. Don’t you think he should have warned you?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I guess.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Do you see where I’m getting at with this? I don’t think he’s treating you as well as he should be. I’m sure there are plenty of other guys at school who would be a better fit for you. I’m not saying you can’t let Konata set you up with someone. I just don’t think you should go all-in on the first guy you start spending time with.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“But I…” Tsukasa tried to respond, but something was stopping her from putting her feelings in words.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Look, ever since we were little, I’ve tried to look out for you as your big sister. You know I’ve only ever wanted what’s best for you. Why can’t you just listen to me?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>At that moment, the passion Tsukasa felt in her heart started to break down the barrier that was keeping her from telling the truth. “Why can’t </span>
  <em>
    <span>you</span>
  </em>
  <span> just let me make my own choices?!” she blurted out. “I’m in love, Sis! I know what I want, and it’s him!”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>After a moment of stunned silence, Kagami threw up her hands. “You know what? Fine. Do whatever you want.” She stood up and headed for the door. “Goodnight, Tsukasa.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Once the door had closed, tears started to well up in Tsukasa’s eyes. She had always loved her sister and wanted to make her proud, but now she had just made her upset. She hated arguing, and hated arguing with family even more. Overcome with guilt, she hugged one of her plushies and cried softly, wishing that Masaru was there to comfort her.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>When Tsukasa woke up the next morning, her arms and legs were sore, no doubt from overexerting herself the night before. She was still tired, but tried not to show it as she got ready for school. Kagami, no doubt still in a bad mood, was unwilling to talk to her, no matter how many times Tsukasa tried to initiate.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>The first half of the school day was a blur. Tsukasa tried to take her mind off of the concert, but the constant aching wouldn’t let her forget. All she wanted to do was go home and sleep. It wasn’t until her lunch break that she finally started to feel like herself again.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I just got an update about Nomura-san,” Konata said, looking down at her phone. “Apparently he’s gone totally mute. Won’t say a thing to anyone, even if spoken to. Do you think it has something to do with what happened last night?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>The twins nodded.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Me too. This is definitely not the direction I was expecting this route to go. I hope we’re not about to hit a bad end.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“So where do we go from here?” Tsukasa asked.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“For now, the easiest thing might be to just wait and give him a chance to cool off. It sounds like he’s too stressed right now for us to make any more progress. The worst case scenario, though, is that we’ll have to start over with someone else. I can find another guy for us to—”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Absolutely not!” Tsukasa interrupted, raising her voice just a bit too much. It was enough of a gut punch for her to hear this from Kagami. Hearing it from Konata just made it worse. “I don’t want to give up on him. Not yet.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Okay, okay, it was just a suggestion. No need to flip out on us.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Are you okay, Tsukasa-san?” Miyuki asked, clearly not used to seeing her friend get so emotional.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I’ve just been on edge lately,” she confessed. “I can’t seem to get Nomura-san out of my head, but whenever I think about him, my heart starts racing. I hope he’s doing okay.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Konata started grinning. “Aww, sounds like someone has a crush. That’s adorable.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Tsukasa could feel her face getting warm as she looked away. “I think...it might be a little more than a crush at this point.” She almost couldn’t believe what she had just said out loud, but it was too late to take it back, so she figured she might as well keep going. “I really like him, Kona-chan. I’ve never felt this way about a guy before.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Alright, I see your point,” Konata said. “If you really want to do something right now, send him a text asking him how he’s doing. Just don’t expect a quick response.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>If the first half of the day was a blur, the second half seemed to drag on for ages. Sending the message did little to relieve Tsukasa’s anxiety. If anything, it was worse now, since she knew Masaru wasn’t acting like his usual self. If there was anything else she could do to help him, she would do it in an instant. For the moment, though, all she could do was wait and see.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>A few minutes after classes were dismissed, she felt the familiar vibration of her cell phone, startling her. She hadn’t expected a response quite that quickly, but it still stopped her dead in her tracks. When she checked the message, all it contained was a single word:</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Rooftop.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Her body running on autopilot, Tsukasa took off.</span>
</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0008"><h2>8. Reconciliation</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>A gust of wind blew in Tsukasa’s face as she swung open the door leading out onto the roof. Sure enough, Masaru was sitting on the ground with his back against the fence and his arms around his knees.</p>
<p>“Masaru?” Tsukasa called out, still a little out of breath from running.</p>
<p>Masaru looked up at her, then back down at the ground, still not speaking.</p>
<p>“I just want to talk, okay? I think we both have some things we need to get off our chests.” Tsukasa swallowed hard as she slowly walked up to him. When she was just a few feet away, she stopped to get a better look at his face. His expression was clearly disconsolate, as if his body language hadn’t already given it away. She knelt in front of him, doing her best to appear non-threatening.</p>
<p>“I’m sorry,” he said, still not looking at her. “I was only thinking about myself when I invited you to the show last night. I should have warned you about the crowd.”</p>
<p>Tsukasa moved a little closer. She remembered the conversation they had after the recital, which was the last time she had seen him in such a state. “It sounds like you don’t get to perform in front of people you know very often,” she said, hoping this would give him the push he needed to tell her more.</p>
<p>Masaru nodded. “You’re right. I don’t have any friends, so even when I’m playing to a room full of people, it can still feel lonely.”</p>
<p>Tsukasa got a little closer and sat down next to Masaru. She placed her left hand between them, offering it to him. He quickly placed his own hand on top of hers, gripping it tightly.</p>
<p>“Did I ever tell you why I spend so much time playing bass?” Masaru asked.</p>
<p>Tsukasa shook her head.</p>
<p>“It all started in middle school. Back then I used to act out a lot, just to get attention. That made me an easy target for bullies. The breaking point was when one of my classmates told me that a girl in our class liked me, but she was too shy to approach me. I was so excited that I immediately walked straight up to her and tried to ask her out. She, of course, had no idea what I was talking about. The whole class laughed.”</p>
<p>“I’m sorry to hear that,” Tsukasa interjected, “but what does that have to do with you playing bass?”</p>
<p>“Around the same time, my parents signed me up for music classes. As soon as I realized that I was getting the hang of playing double bass, it became the only thing I cared about. I decided that if my classmates didn’t need me, I didn’t need them. Instead, I would go straight home after school and practice for as long as I possibly could. Music was my escape from a world I thought had rejected me. When that started to get boring, I took up bass guitar as well. That turned out to be an even better outlet for my frustrations.”</p>
<p>“Oh, I see,” Tsukasa said. “So that’s why you got into playing heavy music?”</p>
<p>“Yeah, that’s right. That was also how I learned the, uh, vocal techniques I was using last night. At the same time, I knew that I would have to hide this side of me or people would think I was a freak.”</p>
<p>“I don’t think you’re a freak. It was scary, but I also think it’s kind of cool that you can do something like that.”</p>
<p>Masaru sighed. “There you go again. Why are you so damn nice to me? It’s like you’re an angel or something.”</p>
<p>Tsukasa felt the butterflies in her stomach get even more intense. She wanted to tell him the truth: that she was head-over-heels in love with him. But when he was right in front of her, even with no one around to hear them, she was too nervous to confess her feelings.</p>
<p>“When I saw you walking away after getting trapped in the pit,” Masaru continued, “I felt strange. I was so used to shutting out the world, but in that moment, the walls came down. I thought for sure you would hate me for putting you in that situation, and I was ashamed of myself because of it.” His voice started to break, and he bowed his head, letting a tear fall to the ground. “You’re the only person I’ve let in, and all I did was take advantage of you.”</p>
<p>“It’s okay,” Tsukasa said softly as she turned to face Masaru. She slowly brought her free hand up so that she could pat his head, just as she had done at the recital. As she gently moved her fingers through his hair, she couldn’t help but smile. This truly was the gentle giant who had stolen her heart. “It sounds like you’ve been through a lot, but I’m here now. Please don’t cry.”</p>
<p>Masaru brought his head back up, and though he was still avoiding eye contact, Tsukasa could see that he was smiling as well. He placed his own hand on her cheek and began to caress it. She wasn’t sure what he was doing, but it felt nice, so she didn’t stop him. Eventually he leaned in and looked straight ahead, bringing their faces closer and closer. It finally dawned on Tsukasa what was going on: he was trying to kiss her. As a reflex, she turned her head to the side and closed her eyes. Before long, she could just barely feel a soft pair of lips on her cheek. She opened her eyes again after he moved away.</p>
<p>“Sorry,” Masaru muttered while blushing. “I guess I got carried away.”</p>
<p>“You don’t need to apologize,” Tsukasa replied. “The truth is I...well…”</p>
<p>Once again, her voice was failing her when she needed it the most. It was now clearer than ever that he reciprocated her feelings, and she still couldn’t find the strength to confess. If words weren’t an option, she would just have to resort to actions. She closed her eyes again, pushed her lips out, and leaned back in. He took the hint.</p>
<p>It certainly wasn’t the most graceful of kisses. Tsukasa wasn’t quite sure what to do, and it didn’t seem like Masaru knew either, so they just sat there with their lips pressed together. Nevertheless, the sensation was like nothing she had ever felt before. It was warm, intense, and enchanting all at the same time. She wished that time could pass just a little bit slower so she could keep savoring it.</p>
<p>When they did separate, Masaru put his hands over his mouth and looked down. The silence lingered as the wind continued blowing around them. Their hearts had spoken what their voices could not.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0009"><h2>9. Bonds</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <span>When she returned from school that day, Tsukasa didn’t tell anyone what she and Masaru had done. Though she would likely have some explaining to do regarding why she got home so much later than usual, she wanted to put off that conversation for as long as she could. If anyone asked, she would simply say she had a personal matter to take care of. Right now, she just wanted to be alone with her thoughts.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>After changing out of her uniform and into something more comfortable, Tsukasa lay supine on her bed. Her mind was still filled with thoughts of what Masaru had told her. How he had been bullied, how he felt like no one needed him, and how she was the only one who had been allowed past his defenses. She was beginning to understand why he was so shy. Whether he meant to or not, he had pushed so many people away that he was left with no one. It didn’t matter how much people raved about his musical abilities. It couldn’t replace the thing he desperately wanted: to be accepted by someone.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Tsukasa wished she could be that someone. Maybe that was why she had been so willing to give Masaru her first kiss. Thinking about the feeling of his lips on hers still made her a little giddy. Even though her actions had made her feelings obvious, she regretted not being able to say that she loved him, just to make it official. Was it really so hard for her to utter those three words? She rolled onto her elbow and stared at her pillow. </span>
  <em>
    <span>Maybe I should practice saying it</span>
  </em>
  <span>, she thought. She wrapped her arms around the pillow, pretending it was Masaru.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I...I love you,” she whispered. “I love you, Masaru.” Losing herself in the fantasy, she put the top of the pillow up to her lips and kissed it. It was so much easier to say it when he was only there in her imagination. She said the words over and over, punctuated with more kisses. Imitating what she had seen in a movie, she moved her hands up and down the other side, pretending that he was doing the same thing against her back. It was almost like she was having a full-blown make-out session all by herself.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“What are you doing?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Tsukasa opened her eyes to find Kagami staring back at her. “Oh, h-hey, Sis,” she stuttered, feeling like she could die of embarrassment at any moment. “I was just, uh, taking a nap.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Taking a nap? While hugging a pillow and mumbling to yourself?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Tsukasa sat up and put the pillow behind her. “Okay, I was awake. What’s up?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I came to tell you that the bath is ready.” Kagami entered the room and closed the door behind her. “Also, I wanted to talk to you again, now that we’ve both cooled off.” She took a deep breath before continuing. “Look, I’m sorry about last night. And this morning.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“No, </span>
  <em>
    <span>I’m</span>
  </em>
  <span> sorry for snapping at you,” Tsukasa replied. She still felt guilty about it, especially since it was so unlike her.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Anyway, I’ve been thinking a lot about our relationship,” Kagami continued. “I used to think you would always be my responsibility to protect. That you’d always be my sweet and vulnerable little sister.” She put her head down as her voice turned somber. “The truth is I don’t like the idea of some boy taking you away from me. I know it’s selfish, but I don’t want to have to share you with him.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>It was all starting to make sense. Kagami had never been especially enthusiastic about the courtship. Although she had tried to act like she only had a problem with Masaru, any other boy likely would have elicited the same response. She just didn’t want to accept that they were growing up. Tsukasa moved to the far side of the bed. “Come here, Sis,” she beckoned. “Maybe I’m the one who needs to take care of you right now.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Kagami lay down on the other side and draped her arm around Tsukasa. Even though the bed wasn’t quite big enough to fit two people comfortably, it didn’t matter. “We haven’t cuddled like this in awhile, huh?"</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“No, we haven’t. It’s a little cramped, but that’s okay.” They were so close that they could hear each other breathing in and out. Tsukasa could even smell the shampoo Kagami had used when she took her bath. They had always had a very special bond, the kind that only twins could have. Although she loved their other two sisters very much, she wouldn’t feel comfortable being in such an intimate position with anyone else.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I guess I don't need to protect you anymore,” Kagami said softly. “Just promise me that whatever happens with you and Nomura-san, or any boy for that matter, he’ll never come between us. Alright?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Alright, I promise.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>The next day was another lazy Saturday for Tsukasa. After everything that had happened over the last week, it was nice to be able to catch up on her sleep. With nothing to worry about that day, she didn’t even feel like getting out of bed until almost noon.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Kagami happened to be in the hallway when Tsukasa left her room. “I was wondering when you’d get up,” she teased.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Tsukasa yawned before responding. “Yeah, I haven’t had a good night’s sleep all week. Figured I’d just take it easy today.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“What, no date with your boyfriend or anything?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“No, he hasn’t texted me since yesterday.” It took a second for what Kagami said to sink in. “Wait, boyfriend? Masaru’s not my boyfriend! We haven’t even been on a real date yet!”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Kagami chuckled. “I was just kidding. If you two are close enough that you’re calling him by his first name, though, I bet he’d appreciate you asking him out.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Now that Tsukasa thought of it, on both occasions where they met outside of school, Masaru had been the one to invite her. A plan started to come together in her head. She would take the initiative and invite him someplace instead. It wouldn't be another one of his performances, so they would be on equal footing. Then, when the mood was just right, she would finally confess her feelings out loud.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>After lunch, Tsukasa returned to her room and took her phone off the charger. Before sending her message, she scrolled through the messages she and Masaru had sent to each other. It was like seeing a timeline of all the progress they had made in such a short time. They were strangers less than two weeks ago. Now they were on the cusp of becoming lovers. Nevertheless, she tried to play it cool, keeping her first message short and cordial.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Got any plans for tomorrow night?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>To Tsukasa’s shock, the response came less than a minute later: “Not really.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>The words flowed freely as she typed her response. “Let’s go do something together. It doesn't have to be anything special. I just want to see you again.”</span>
</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0010"><h2>10. Finale</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <span>Tsukasa walked out of the train station and into the cool evening air. She and Masaru had decided to have dinner at a trendy restaurant in the nearby city of Koshigaya, and it was almost time for them to meet up. She was so excited that she couldn’t resist getting there early.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>After learning about their plans, Konata spent most of Saturday afternoon and Sunday morning helping Tsukasa get ready. As far as she was concerned, this was the moment that all of their work was leading up to. “The final battle,” as she described it. She was also the first person Tsukasa told about the kiss, which only invigorated her even more. Together they planned out everything from what Tsukasa would wear to the places they could go after dinner.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Standing near the entrance to the restaurant, Tsukasa opened her handbag. Inside was the flowchart Konata drew for her, which had been sitting unused on her desk for almost two weeks. With nothing else to do, she tried her best to memorize the flowchart, hoping to gleam whatever she could from it in the time before Masaru arrived. The more she looked at it, the more nervous she got. It was like cramming for a test at the last minute, but there were no right or wrong answers. She eventually had no choice but to put it away in order to calm herself down.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Her timing proved to be fortunate. Masaru was standing about twenty feet away, his eyes focused on the device in his hand. A white cord ran from the device to his ears, making it obvious that he was using a music player of some kind. Even though there were still a few minutes left before the time they agreed upon, Tsukasa went over to greet him.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>As she approached, Masaru took out his earbuds and waved at her timidly. He was wearing skinny jeans and a black hoodie with what appeared to be the logo of a band. That, combined with his height, made him look somewhat intimidating, but Tsukasa knew she didn’t have anything to be afraid of.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Good evening,” she said. “Did you have any trouble finding the place?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>He shook his head. “Honestly, I was more worried about not being late. I’ve been practicing some new songs on my bass all day, and I couldn’t resist going through them one more time before I left.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Oh, is that so? You’ll have to play them for me sometime.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Well, they’re pretty heavy, but if you insist, I’ll let you hear them. Anyway, let’s head on inside.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Tsukasa and Masaru entered the restaurant. The waitress took them to a table by the window that was just big enough to seat two people. Dim light and the chatter from other customers filled the room, but not so much so that it was overwhelming. Tsukasa still couldn’t believe she was actually on a real date.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Masaru watched as the waitress disappeared around the corner before bringing his attention back to Tsukasa. “Thanks for meeting me here,” he said.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I think that’s my line,” Tsukasa replied. “I was the one who invited you.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Yeah, but this just seems too good to be true. How did we get from not even knowing each other to not being able to stay apart so quickly? I keep expecting this to turn out to be a prank or something.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Tsukasa knew she couldn’t hide the truth any longer. “Well, it’s not a prank, but I do have a confession to make.” She braced herself for a bad reaction. “One of my friends has been trying to bring us together.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Masaru didn’t respond, but he didn’t look too happy about what he was hearing. The similarities between their current situation and what happened to him in middle school were obvious.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“That doesn’t mean I’ve been faking how I feel,” she continued. “She’s been coaching me this whole time, but I wouldn’t have kept going along with it if I didn’t enjoy getting to know you. When I said I was here because I wanted to be here, I meant it. I want to make this work.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>The puzzled expression on Masaru’s face didn’t change. “I believe you, but...why me? This still doesn’t make any sense.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I can’t relate to what you said about not having friends, but I do know what it’s like to feel unneeded. You see, I have three older sisters. I’ve spent what feels like my whole life in their shadow, especially my twin. I’ve never had the best grades, and I’m not very athletic either. Even talking to people I don’t know is hard for me. Maybe we’re both searching for someone who understands us.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Someone who understands us,” he echoed, cracking a half-smile. “Maybe so. I take it that your friend is also an angel?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Tsukasa gave him a blank stare.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I was, uh, trying to say that </span>
  <em>
    <span>you’re</span>
  </em>
  <span> an angel. Because then it would only make sense for your friends to be angels as well.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>They both laughed at how corny the joke was. This definitely wasn’t accounted for in the flowchart.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>The rest of the dinner was mostly uneventful. Tsukasa and Masaru talked about everything from the weather to the kinds of music they liked to their families. He could actually be pretty chatty if he was talking about one of his interests, and even though some of it went over her head, just hearing how enthusiastic he was made her smile. Despite this, though, he still couldn’t keep eye contact with her for very long without needing to look at something else. Miyuki had explained at one point that this is common for autistic people, so Tsukasa wasn’t offended. The conversation continued long after they had finished eating. It wasn’t until the noise of the restaurant became too much to handle that they finally made their exit.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Man, that was really good,” Masaru said cheerfully.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Tsukasa nodded in agreement. “My friend said that from here, you can walk down to a great spot by the lake.” She held out her hand. “Do you want to check it out?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>He cautiously wrapped his hand around her fingers, letting her take the lead. They set off down the walkway leading out of the shopping mall where they just ate. Though he had plenty to say just a few minutes earlier, he went silent while they held hands, as if concentrating on what he was doing. Tsukasa thought little of it. She simply enjoyed having him by her side. The weather had cooled off a bit more by this point, so she kept close to him for warmth.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>They stopped to rest at a bench in front of the lake. Though it was a bit too dark to see most of the water, they could clearly see the moon shining brightly above them. Tsukasa looked around, but couldn’t see anyone else nearby. If there was ever a picture-perfect opportunity to declare her love, this was it.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“The moon is beautiful, isn’t it?” Tsukasa asked, hoping Masaru would pick up on what she meant.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Masaru’s expression turned contemplative. “I never really thought about it, but yes, I suppose it is beautiful.” It didn’t seem like he understood the reference.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>The only option left was to say it directly. Tsukasa put her hand on Masaru’s thigh to get his attention. As their eyes met, the words that had given her so much difficulty before suddenly became easier. “I love you, Masaru. That’s what I’m trying to say.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Masaru covered his eyes with his hand. Even in the dark, it was obvious that he was blushing. “I, um, love you too. I didn’t think we still needed to say it after we, you know…”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I just thought it would be nice to say it anyway. After all, we’re a couple now, right?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Yeah, of course.” With nothing left for them to say, Masaru reached his arm around and held Tsukasa against his body, letting her rest her head under his chin.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Tsukasa checked one more time to make sure no one was watching them. Once she was sure the coast was clear, she put her hands on Masaru’s shoulders and moved into a kneeling position, bringing her head up to eye level. His face grew even redder, and his breathing got faster.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Close your eyes,” she whispered.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Masaru did as he was told, allowing him to relax. Tsukasa slowly brought her lips up to his and gave him a soft, tender kiss. The fact that this all started because Konata wanted to bring a dating game to life was irrelevant. What mattered was that two people met, realized how much they had in common, and fell in love.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>The angel had tamed the giant.</span>
</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>This is a fic I've been wanting to write for a long time, and now it's finally done. Thank you so much for reading. I'd also like to thank my friends rainfay and Assassin_J for being my beta readers. I may post more stories involving Tsukasa and Masaru in the future.</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
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